01/25/2010

Playoff thoughts, links

What had been a relatively
lack-luster postseason was saved Sunday by a fabulously
entertaining conference championship round. Here are some quick thoughts
on the weekend's games:

Jets- Colts

- Remember when it was widely considered that Peyton Manning couldn't
get it done in the clutch? Manning's performance yesterday was
remarkable, not because of his nearly 400 yards and 3 touchdowns vs. the Jets
top-ranked D, but because it is what we have now come to expect. Even
down 17-13 at halftime, did you have any doubt that The Conductor would come back
out and lead the Colts down the field for the necessary scores? With his
number one receiver, Reggie Wayne, marooned on "Revis Island" all
game , Manning found other ways to win, using break out sensations Pierre
Garcon and Austin Collie. Finding the Dwight Lowery
Peninsula a bit more visitable, Garcon and Collie, who were
complete unknowns before the season, combined to haul in 18 receptions and
accounted for 274 of Manning's 370 passing yards. After carving up a top
defense in yet another big game, this time without the presence of Marvin
Harrison (or Wayne for that matter), any question about Manning's ability in
big moments should be stricken from record.

- I was expecting Manning to be great in this game, but what I didn't
expect, was how impressed I was by Mark Sanchez. With apologies to deadspin.com,
he really did look poised out there. Against a fast and aggressive
Indianapolis defense, Sanchez looked like a veteran,
surrendering no sacks on the day and throwing for 257 yards. His final
throw was an interception, but I can forgive that since his team was down two
scores in the waning minutes. Too many young QBs attempt to do too much
in these situations, and end up forcing or rushing throws. I think
Sanchez has a chance to continue to grow into a good NFL quarterback. Paired
with promising rookie runner Shonn Greene, tight end Justin Keller, and the
enigmatic but talented Braylon Edwards, the Jets could have a dynamic young
offense for years to come.

Vikings- Saints

- For all the talk going in about how this would be an up-and-down
affair, both offenses bogged down for much of the game. There were a
staggering amount of mental mistakes and turnovers, including one
particularly comical stretch that featured both teams swapping fumbles on back
to back drives. Reggie Bush's muffed punt just before halftime looked
like it would be a killer for New Orleans. A fumbled snap just two plays later
gave the ball right back to New Orleans.

- For Bush, who had seemed to finally win over fans with his breakout
performance a week before vs. Arizona, it was another gaffe in his up-and-down
career. Whether it is stubbornly trying to bounce runs to the outside, or
refusing to fair catch a punt, much of his struggles are a result of his failure
to accept his limitations and trying to do too much.

- Speaking of fumbles, this game featured a lot of them. In a game
featuring two-tortured fan bases, neither team seemed to intent on getting out
of its own way at points in the game. As much as Saints fans have been
through (28 losing seasons in 42 years), it's hard not to feel for Vikings fans
as the Ghost of Gary
Andersen continues to loom over them in NFC Championship games. It
is one of the few long-suffering fan bases who can match the Saints in terms of
suffering.

- It would be remiss to mention fumbles and not bring up Adrian
Peterson, who had a fabulous game, but put the ball on the turf twice only to
see his team recover both times. Widely considered the best running back in
football, "All Day" continues to struggle mightily with ball
security, losing 12 fumbles in his first three seasons. Like Shaq's
free throw shooting, Sergio's putting, or McGwire's honesty, it's a glaring
flaw in his game that is holding him back from greatness. I'll take the
Titans' Chris Johnson until Peterson can stop dropping balls like it's New
Year's Eve.

- Another season, another season-ending interception for Brett Favre.
Whether or not this is his last, I don't care, I'm just glad he's still
out there winging it like a kid, having fun out there. Unfortunately for
Favre, throwing across your body becomes precipitously less "fun" for
your fans to watch the later you get into your 40s.

After a fabulously entertaining championship weekend, we're looking at
two weeks without real football (I'm not even going to acknowledge that other
Bowl game in Miami that I'm not even acknowledging), two weeks of Favre
retirement talk, two weeks of Brees/Manning comparisons, two weeks of Pierre
Garcon vs. Pierre Thomas jokes (The Pierre Bowl!) and two weeks of
ananticipation for what should be the most entertaining Super Bowl in recent
memory.

A few links to help cure Post-Football Depression:

- John Hollinger of ESPN has released his midseason awards.
I have to take issue with his selection of Houston's Carl Landry as Best
Sixth Man, over Jamal Crawford. "Instant Crawfense" has been
the top scorer for the Hawks in 15 games this year, and is averaging 17 PPG for
a team that is a half-game behind the Celts for second place in the East.

- In the Delusions of Grandeur department, the city of Orlando would like a professional baseball
team. Barring the obvious questions about how a third city
in Florida would succeed in drawing consistent crowds where two have already failed, especially one
without a season-ticket base, my question is this: Shouldn't they be thankful
that they get to watch the great Jason Heyward every day this spring training?

- In case you missed it, the Orioles signed Miguel Tejada for a
second go-round, this time to play third base. Tejada's attitude and
demeanor was seen as a detriment to clubhouse chemistry the first time around.
A Baltimore Sun blogger says the key to this reunion is to Miggy him from sulking. If
I'm the Orioles, I bank on Tejada being more mature two years later,
given that he's now four years
older. For a Baltimore club well-stocked in
promising young position players, the Tejada reunion will be a compelling story
line as the Baby O's try to return to relevance in the AL East.

- This kid likes Peanut Butter a lot,
and he wants to tell you about it. Body paint, another feather in the cap
of the great George Washington Carver.

- Sonny Perdue wants to spend
more money Georgia
doesn't have, asking to divert $34M from the HOPE program and
reroute it elsewhere to alleviate budget shortfalls. I guess we need to
get out there and buy more lotto tickets.